Lesli Messinger defeated Nathan Russo on Tuesday for the Democratic nomination in the 1st Congressional District.

With 16 of 17 counties reporting, Messinger, a Savannah businesswoman, had 54.3 percent compared to 45.7 percent for Russo, a retired St. Simons Island businessman.

Messinger will face Savannah Republican incumbent Jack Kingston, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, on Nov. 6.

“It’s an exciting time,” she said on Wednesday. “I feel such hope that the voters have put their trust in me. I really feel connected.”

She said she will build her campaign around 10-term incumbent Kingston’s voting record and how she would do better.

She says Kingston has failed to support the middle class.

“His record says it all,” she said.

Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford disagreed.

Crawford said Kingston fights tax increases and President Barack Obama’s health care law, which he said drives up costs and reduces access to care.

“His votes support small businesses and working people,” Crawford said

Messinger ran strongest — rolling up a 15 percentage point margin — in her home county of Chatham, the vote-rich population center of the 1st. Russo did relatively well in outlying areas of the district.

Messinger said she spent many hours knocking on local doors and talking with people.

“I met many people who are helpless and hopeless,” she said. “They got to know me, and they believe in me.”

Russo acknowledged that Chatham County made a big difference.

“If you cannot win Savannah,” he said, “then you cannot win the district.”

Messinger, who said she spent about $80,000 of her own money on her campaign, had a financial advantage. Russo said he spent about $26,000, mostly his personal funds.

She said her money went mostly for television and radio advertising, signs and staff payroll.

Messinger and Russo advanced different strategies.

A mainline Democrat, she supported Obama’s policies.

Russo is a more unconventional Democrat.

“I continue to believe that without attracting moderate Republicans and independents a Democrat will not get a seat in the U.S. Congress from Georgia, District 1,” he said.

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Jack is running for his 11th term, and has been in office for about 20 years, despite the fact that when Jack first ran for office, he supported term limits. Jack said back in the good old days that we shouldn't have professional politicians representing us in Congress.

But, that was then, and this is now. Now, Jack "The Hack" is a professional politician himself, and the only term limits he cares about are term limits for committee chairmen in the House of Representatives so that Jack might get the chairmanship of a committee himself. Oh, how things change once one gets in power and gets used to that government check, benefits and Congressional perks, eh Jack? Jack now advertises in his emails that he is going to appear on Hardball, or some other cable TV political nonsense session. Professional politicians aren't so bad after all, when you're one yourself!

I think that it is about time that Jack got off the government dole and got a job in the private sector. He might see things he has forgotten about, like the middle class, if he does.

Typical liberal ploy. When you can't vote a Republican out of office assign requirements to them that do not apply to Democrats. I'm pretty sure Jack was talking about everyone having term limitations not just himself. Since this is not the case, you can't blame him for not stepping down.

Instead of talking about me and alleging that I am somehow hypocritical, why don't you address the real hypocrisy, which is Jack Kingston's running his mouth about term limits, and then staying in office for 10 terms and seeking an 11th?

...when your favorite candidate has rather obviously gone back on his word, you go out of your way to make excuses for him. "He meant for all candidates." So, that lets him off the hook to stay in office forever? How about stepping aside and letting another Republican run? Come on, you're deflecting. He has been in office for 20 years and wants to add to it. The guy ran on term limits and now has run away from them.

I repeat Tyrant: I NEVER have voted for any candidate more than twice, not even elected judges.

for term limitations. However, the present system is in force and one must consider the best candidate that supports our Constitutional principles. Not every candidate is perfect, but one must choose hamburger over hog slop when there is no steak. There ain't no steak and Kingston is hamburger. The other side is offering only hog slop.

Where is the first article this paper printed about this candidate? In that one, she implied that we needed her to interpret Mr. Kingston's voting record. Honestly, where do any candidates get off thinking that their constituency is too ignorant to read, interpret, and understand for themselves? If the majority are that way, then we are all in trouble.

There are some pretty hateful words above directed at Mr. Kingston. Why don't you who feel so strongly about him call him and ask him about term limits and voting practices yourself? Yes, you will get a staffer on the phone, but ask them when he will be holding a meeting and go. You may just find that you have misjudged him. As for committee work, he is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, a member of the Subcommittee on Defense, and Member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. In regards to the upcoming election, frankly I hope that we get an opportunity to attend some REAL debates, you know the kind where people get to ask questions that aren't pre-approved and scripted? We stand a better chance having one between Mr. Kingston and Mrs. Messinger than we do with the Presidential candidates whose debates are so scripted and controlled that you only hear the same blah, blah, blah every time. May the best candidate win!